Al Fracassa sat in the bowels of Ford Field late Friday afternoon, pausing to rest and drink a cup of water after experiencing a game he thought "would never end," even though it went by faster than some of the speedsters on the field during the Division 2 state football final between Fracassa's Birmingham Brother Rice Warriors and Muskegon.

He had just met the media after celebrating something old and something new following Brother Rice's heartstopping 35-28 win over Muskegon.

It was the eighth state title under Fracassa in school history, but the first time Brother Rice ever won back-to-back state championships in his 44 years as head coach.

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Fracassa paused to think about all the publicity Brother Rice was going to receive from another state title and the significance of becoming the first team since eight Divisions were formed in 1999 to repeat as state champions in Division 2.

He then got word that the bus was ready to leave and he was escorted up the ramp in the tunnel up to the bus that was certainly headed towards a victory party somewhere.

Hopefully somebody took a picture of the moment, because this could've very well have been the last time Fracassa walks out of a football stadium as head coach at Brother Rice.

It's nothing new, given the question of whether he'd retire was posed after last year's title game and he didn't announce he was coming back for this season until the team banquet.

But like a tidal wave that grows stronger and stronger as it reaches the shore, it's a question that'll get louder and louder with each passing year and when there's something new that's achieved.

He recently turned 80 last season, and told me last year that he doesn't want to be like Joe Paterno and stick around well into his 80's.

Fracassa's future was the obvious big topic after the game, and predictably, he said he needed to talk it over with his wife before making a decision in the coming weeks.

However, if there's one who likes to read between the lines, this quote from him was telling.

"Football has done so much for me," Fracassa said. "It got me a scholarship at Michigan State. I played football, baseball and basketball in high school. Sports mean a lot to me and I'd like to give it back. If I could coach in some capacity, if the good Lord gives me good health, I'd like to maybe help somebody out."

According to those words, Fracassa is about to announce his retirement and take on a lesser role in coaching somewhere.

But wait a minute?

Fracassa's passion is being a football coach through and through, he stays in Michigan pretty much year-round instead of going to a warmer climate for the winter, doesn't golf and has a crop of talented juniors coming back in the fold for next year.

So given all that, he'll definitely be back next year, right?

It'll be the million dollar question around the high school sports world in the next few weeks, and if he decides to finally call it quits, it'll be no small retirement announcement.

The victory over Muskegon was his 416th of his career, more than any other coach in state history, and he has sent countless players on to college programs, some of whom have turned into NFL players.

His office at Brother Rice is filled with photos taken with college and professional coaches around the country, who no doubt would be pouring in tribute after tribute when he does decide to hang it up.

Even at 80, the final minutes of Friday's win over Muskegon proved that Fracassa still knows how to push the right buttons.

Fracassa approved both a flea-flicker pass deep in his own territory and a lateral on a kickoff return from inside his own 10 in the final four minutes of the game.

Both worked, as they resulted in touchdowns to give Brother Rice the lead each time. The last one turned out to be a 94-yard kickoff return by Jason Alessi for a touchdown with 2:13 left that will forever be replayed as one of the most memorable game-winning touchdown plays in finals history.

"When you're back is up against the wall, you try to win," Fracassa said. "Try it and take chances."

One of the top players on this year's team, senior linebacker and Michigan State commit Jon Reschke, said he first met Fracassa at an open house before his freshman year and that Fracassa just had that special vibe to him that many don't.

"He just that has appearance that gives you an amazing feeling," Reschke said. "It was awesome."

Of course, Reschke said he didn't know if it was Fracassa's last game, and even if he did, he wasn't going to be breaking the news by himself to the media on Friday.

If it was his last game, there couldn't have been a more fitting way to go out by winning back-to-back titles for the first time and overseeing those two bold play calls that turned into gold during crunch time.

A big story was definitely Brother Rice's repeat state title, and no doubt this group of players can forever rejoice in that they distinguished themselves from previous championship teams in that regard.

But the biggest story on everyone's mind after and for the foreseeable future will be whether Al Fracassa will step on another high school football field as head coach again.